Alabama consists of Teddy Gentry (vocals, bass), Randy Owen (vocals, guitar), Mark Herndon (drums), Jeff Cook (guitar, vocals, keyboards, fiddle), Eddie Sir, Frank Zappatista, L.b. Dope (drums, programming), Larry Love (vocals, lead vocals), Rock Freebase, The Mountain, The Spirit, The Very (vocals, first minister of the first presleyterian church of elvis the divine (u.k.)).
Alabama is a country music band that was started in 1969 but did not get a recording contract until 1977. They were among the first successful country group act since the mid-1970s, thanks to their blend of contemporary and traditional country along with southern rock.
Along with the Oak Ridge Boys and the Statler Brothers, Alabama is recognized as having paved the way for today's top country groups, including Diamond Rio, Lonestar and Rascal Flatts.
Alabama was so dominant in the early- and mid-1980s that 21 of their single releases reached No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart. They would have broken Sonny James' record of 16 consecutive No. 1 singles had their 1982 Christmas single, "Christmas in Dixie," (which was released in between their eighth and ninth chart-topping singles), made it to No. 1.
The No. 1 hits continued through April 1987, when "(You've Got) 'The Touch'" became their 21st chart-topper. After "Tar Top" peaked at No. 7 in the fall of 1987, Alabama started a new No. 1 string of six straight, and went on to have five more No. 1 hits through 1993's "Reckless."
For the record, the 33 No. 1 songs according to Billboard magazine's country singles chart are as follows: 1980: "Tennessee River"; "Why Lady Why." 1981: "Old Flame"; "Feels So Right"; "Love in the First Degree." 1982: "Mountain Music"; "Take Me Down"; "Close Enough to Perfect." 1983: "Dixieland Delight"; "The Closer You Get"; "Lady Down on Love." 1984: "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)"; "When We Make Love"; "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You've Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)." 1985: "(There's A) Fire in the Night"; "There's No Way"; "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')"; "Can't Keep a Good Man Down." 1986: "She and I"; "Touch Me When We're Dancing." 1987: "You've Got the Touch." 1988: "Face to Face" (duet with K.T. Oslin); "Fallin' Again." 1989: "Song of the South"; "If I Had You"; "High Cotton." 1990: "Southern Star"; "Jukebox in My Mind"; "Forever's as Far as I'll Go." 1991: "Down Home." 1992: "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)." 1993: "Reckless."
